This application relates generally to vehicle control systems and more particularly to an automatic mode selection system.
Vehicles have become more and more automated as computerized systems have become more sophisticated. As such, modes of operation of the vehicle can be preprogrammed and automatically implemented by the driver, depending on the type of driving that is being experienced. For instance, a “normal” mode may include what is commonly understood as a normal or more traditional driving mode in which the driver manually operates the brakes, accelerator, and steering wheel. In a “comfort” mode, certain aspects of driving are turned over to the computerized system to offload some of the effort from the driver and simplify the driving effort. Likewise, a “sport” mode may be implemented when a driver may desire a more responsive feel to the vehicle.
However, from time to time, automated operation might provide an action based on an operating context which might not meet the complete needs of the user. When this happens, it may dissatisfy the user. For example, in the case of the automatic performance mode selection system, this could mean that the system is placed in comfort mode while the driver actually would prefer normal mode operation. The expectation is that when a mode is applied that the driver disapproves of that this would cause them to behave differently than they had prior to the activation of the transition.
Thus, there is a need to better infer behavior of the driver to prevent switching from mode to mode, or switching out of a desired mode of operation.